Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves has become one of the three most valued players on the roster. Exceeded only by Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Reaves has steadily improved during each of his four NBA seasons, playing at a level that has made him untouchable in trade talks.
Unfortunately, there's a harsh reality that the Lakers must face and address if they hope to become a true contender: Teams are targeting Reaves on defense.
Reaves is in the midst of his best NBA season from an offensive perspective. He's averaging 18.3 points, 5.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.6 three-point field goals made per game, posting a slash line of .436/.361/.813.
It's been an impressive step forward from a player who has continued to evolve into a dynamic playmaker capable of alleviating pressure from Davis and James.
Unfortunately, the progress made on offense hasn't yet negated the concerns that many have about his defense. He's been better than he's often given credit for, but there are flaws that continue to be revealed at inopportune times.
That was on full display when the Dallas Mavericks, playing without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, dominated the Lakers by going right at Reaves—over and over again.
Lakers need Austin Reaves to become a reliable isolation defender
Los Angeles entered the clash with Dallas in an advantageous position. With Doncic and Irving out, the Mavericks were down their two best shot creators and playmakers, and were thus unlikely to win, let alone excel in isolation.
Instead, Dallas emerged victorious, decimating Los Angeles by a margin of 118-97 and routinely going at Reaves in isolation.
dallas put austin reaves into isolations 15 times. no one had done that more than eight times all season. it was an absolute ruthless roasting of him. literally the entire second half strategy was to take turns to cook reaves.
— tim cato (@tim_cato) January 8, 2025
In the end, Dallas shot 64.3 percent from the field when Reaves was the primary defender. It was tough to watch, as the Mavericks pinpointed Reaves as a player they could exploit and were routinely rewarded for the strategy.
To make matters worse, former Lakers guard Spencer Dinwiddie put up 18 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, and Dallas converted 18 three-point field goals.
Poor perimeter defense has been a common theme for the Lakers during the 2024-25 season. The unfortunate reality put on display during the loss to the Mavericks is that general inconsistency from the team isn't actually the biggest issue.
The true cause for concern is the fact that, even if Dorian Finney-Smith helps the team improve on defense, Reaves hasn't yet proven he can handle being an isolation focal point on that end of the floor.
Come the playoffs, teams will look to exploit that opportunity in the same way the Mavericks did. It's an annual tradition, as teams locate an opponent's weak link on defense during a seven-game series and craft a strategy to repeatedly attack the matchup until they're either stopped or they run said player off the court.
Reaves has a strong track record in the playoffs, but as his offensive role expands, he'll need to find a way to provide the Lakers with legitimate two-way contributions for the team to compete